A History of Louisville,Ky. Department Stores at Past. Perfect. Vintage. Stewart Dry Goods Stewarts A Louisville department store that dominated Louisville retail trade for years. Stewarts became the premier department store in Louisville, and was one of the largest in the south. They always advertised to appeal to the carriage trade without pushing the middle class away. It was one of the best nights of my life. There wasnt a dry eye in the vicinity and Im pretty sure even Kendall Jenner acted excited about something for once. Set in a dilapidated Veterans Administration hospital, Article 99 may be the first medical melodrama that isnt about dedicated physicians. Every clean cut, downthemiddle pop superstar has an alter ego hiding just out of sight. In the case of Bruno Mars, weve gotten glimpsesthis is a man, after all. Appels According to the Encyclopedia of Louisville, Appels was founded in 1883 as Appels Menswear. Founded by Louis Appel, address is shown at 440 W. Market and. Stewarts was founded in 1. Market St. later the site of Levy Bros. Building as Durkee Heaths New York Store, by Benjamin Durkee and James Heath. Durkee was the NY based buyer while Heath ran the operation in Louisville. The store moved to 4th and Jefferson in 1. S. Barker Co. in 1. In the later 1. 86. In the 1. 87. 0s, they did not yet have show windows, but sold yard goods with sidewalk tables. Jesse Middleton, a long time employee, and Augustus Sharpe bought and renamed the company in 1. Fessenden Stewart Co. s The New York Store Finally, when Louis Stewart gained sole control in 1. Stewart Dry Goods. Louis Stewart stayed for approximately 1. New York retail, but he made sure Stewarts became a charter member of Associated Dry Goods. On April 1. 5, 1. Stewarts Dry Good opened the famous flagship store at 5. S. 4th on the SE corner of Walnut St. Muhammad Ali Blvd. This landmark was designed by Alfred Joseph of the firm of Mc. Donald and Dodd and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. The store was built across from the grand Seelbach Hotel on the site of the old Warren residence, built 1. Stewarts was already a high end department store, but now became a downtown landmark and commercial palace known for the Orchid Room, the Luncheonette and the Rebel Room dining facilities. The main store had seven stories with marble floors, reception rooms, a hospital, and 6. Stewarts label to put in the garment, a needlework instructor, linens imported from Ireland, books, shoes, gloves, furniture, rugs, china, trunks, glassware and mens sweaters made in Italy. Buying trips to NY and Paris for laces and model gowns were made. After 1. 90. 7, the New York Store phrase figured less and less prominently in their advertising. The old store at 4th and Jefferson became Stewarts Golden Rule Store, an economy venue until 1. In a 1. 91. 3 ad, Stewart Dry Goods claimed to have the largest Ready to Wear womens department in the South along with the largest dining room in Louisville, where lunch cost. Their advertisements at that time referred to the Stewart Dry Goods Company in connection with James Mc. Creery Company, New York. The building was enlarged in 1. The logo Stewarts in script begins use in 1. The range of goods offer in the post WWII years is indicated by a 1. Christmas ad in the Courier Journal, with suggested Christmas presents of monogrammed playing cards, area rugs, corn popper, floor lamps, aluminum trays and pitchers, frosted glasses with red enamel initials. The first branch store was established in 1. Lexington, Ky. on East Main in Lexington, next to the Phoenix Hotel at 1. East Main. A multi story expansion was added in downtown Louisville in 1. They opened a branch in the Mall St. Matthews in 1. 96. Oxmoor Mall on August 5, 1. Stewarts also opened a branch in the Fayette Mall in Lexington that year. In 1. 96. 9 coats were advertised in the 7. There are labels with Stewarts of Kentucky. Stewarts merged with L. S. Ayres in Nov 1, 1. At that time there were 7 stores 4 in Louisville, 2 in Lexington, and 1 in Evansville, Indiana. The Orchid Room and Luncheonette closed in 1. In June 1. 98. 7, Ayres was sold to Snyders, then in Oct. Hesss bought Snyders. In April of 1. 99. Hesss closed the 4th St flagship store abruptly and never reopened. The building was a Hilliard Lyons Brokerage in the 2. For more information, reminiscences and period photos please see Stewarts A Louisville Landmark by Kenneth L. Miller, 1. 99. 1. Lines included Davidow, Adrian, Adolph Blank, Kingsley, Vanity Fair, De Liso Debs early Stewarts Hat Box, possibly Teensfrom a post 1. Christmas gift box, courtesy As Time Goes By from a 1. Christmas gift box, courtesy As Time Goes By from a 1. As Time Goes By from a 1. Coat, courtesy Elizabeths Timeless Attire also seen in white with black text from a ca 1. Ladies Suit, and in use into the 1. Kinglseybrown and white version from a 1. Three linens labels showing the progression of fonts and names, courtesy of As Time Goes By. Stewarts shipping label, courtesy Elizabeths Timeless Attire 1. Stewarts Christmas Shopping Bag, courtesy As Time Goes By Stewarts at 4th Muhammad Ali Blvd., across from the Starks Building the Seelbach Hotel, 2. Stewarts Furniture Warehouse Broadway.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
November 2017
Categories |